Men’s Captain’s Page

Men’s Captain’s P= age

The c= lub takes part in the Surrey Cross Country League, Surrey County, Surrey Vets, Southern and National XC Champs and several other local xc races in the winter and the Surrey Road League in t= he summer (brief race report details below). Members can run all cross country races and some of the relays (mentioned below) for free. However, no one is under any obligation to run these races, they are only encouraged to do so.=

In addition to the races listed above, teams are also entered in a number of relays: Nationals Masters and Green Belt (both in May), Parkland, Welsh Castles and Horton Park (June), Runnymede and Non Such Park in July, Surrey County, River Relay and Southern (all in September).

If you would like to contact me email: royreeder@hotmail.com or 'phone me at home = on 020 8979 1385. Alternatively, see me most Thursdays (the club's main traini= ng evening) at the Hawker Centre, Lower Ham Road, Kingston, KT2 5BH.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

9 August 08 - 2XU Belgrave Bolt 5k (SRL) (County Champs). =

For further details and= to enter go to:

http://www.belgraveharr= iers.com/general/2XU_Belgrave_Bolt_5k.htm

Can we win the Surrey R= oad League for a fourth consecutive year? We find out here.

13 Au= gust 08- Club 10k

7.45pm, Hawker Centre. Enter on the night - £2.

27 August 08 - Club Handicap = 5k

Hawker Centre. Enter on the night - registration at 7.30pm. Final counter in the 2= 009 club road champs.

September is the month for relays!

12 September - Surrey County Relays<= /o:p>

4 (Vets) or 6 (Seniors) * 2.9 miles, Wimbledon Park. Contact me if you want to run in this event or Steve Sandham if you are 50+= .

13 September - River Relay

6 stages, Virginia Wate= r to Ham. Entry fee £tbc= . Further details:

http://www.stragglers.o= rg/rrelay.htm

27 September - Southern Relay

Aldershot, 4 (Vets) or 6 (Seniors) * 6km. Contact = me if you want to run in this event or Steve Sandham if you are 50+.

A favourite of mine and= I would like to get a strong team out this year (note it is on a Sunday this year, not Saturday as it has been in previous years). If you haven't run in this event before, this is your chance to mix it with the best runners in t= he South of England. It seem like yesterday that we took part for the first ti= me, in fact it's 2004 and a couple of guys have come= close but no one has run faster than my time of 19.52 that year. Each year, I thi= nk that someone will beat, surely it will happen this year= !?.

REVIEW OF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (= AND SOME OTHER) EVENTS:

<= /p>

26 Ju= ly 08 - Elmbridge 10km

Much cooler conditions than normal for this race and thankfully the organisers choose a date which didn't clash with the Molesey Regatta. Good runs from J= immy Goulis, Graham Brook and newcomer Richard Lazell meant we finished behind a very strong Belgrave and, importantly for the Surrey Road League, just ahea= d of Clapham Chasers.

In the V60 battle, round one goes to Alan Purkiss (40.13) who beat Steve Sandham b= y 36 seconds. Round 2 at the Wedding Day race.

Full results are here:

http:= //www.elmbridgeroadrunners.co.uk/pages/10k2009Results.html

28 Ju= ne 08 - Dysart Dash 10km

Anoth= er hot day saw Jimmy and Wayne finish well up the field unfortunately our third scorer Danny Norman was a little way back so the team didn't do as well as I had hoped but we still lead the League table, closely followed by Ranelagh,= SLH and Clapham Chasers.

Full results are here:

http:= //www.ranelagh-harriers.com/results/090628.html

31 Ma= y 08 - Dorking 10 mile

Anoth= er hot Dorking Ten. The men were second team, with Jimmy, Graham, Wayne and Al= lan scoring.

Full results are here:

http:= //www.dmvac.org.uk/results/d2009/

16 May 09 - National Masters = Road Relays

All t= he way to Birmingham for a 3 mile relay?! Jim Desmond reports:

'The = team came 25th out of the 34 teams in the V40 category. Also running was Dee Sma= le who collected a fantastic bronze medal in the WV35 category for WSEH.<= /o:p>

I've competed at more events for Stragglers over more years than I care to remem= ber, but this event has got to be up there with best there has been. The famous venue (Sutton Park in Birmingham) was spectacular, and the tough 3 mile course was on a perfect surface throu= gh the woods with excellent opportunity for support. The organisation was faultless, and the level of competition was phenomenal as you'd expect for a National Champs. It was great to see former International superstars such as Ron Hill, Paula Fudge & Steve Brace still competing for their clubs.

I rec= kon that we did OK on this big stage. There was super team spirit, all the guys= put in good runs, and we placed very respectably for a 1st outing (especially considering the fact that 3 of our team were qualified to run in the V50 ev= ent, and 1 of them is only a month away from qualifying for the V60!!!).

Well = done to Capt. Roy for making this happen. I'd definitely be up for this again, a= nd if you're also old then why not join us?'

Splits were:

Roy Reeder 16.44, Steve Sandham 19.09, Rob Black 18.34, Simon Brazil 18.06, Jim Desmond 17.19, Ian Callander 18.26, Dave Griffiths 20.04, Nigel Rothwell 17= .18

Nigel Rothwell's photos are here:

http:= //www.flickr.com/photos/rothwell_nt/sets/72157618238631655/

10 May 09 - Ranelagh Half

Also the Surrey Half Mar= athon Championship. I didn't take part but had quite a good view at my usual position manning the water station at Hampton Court Palace (seven miles). Graham Brook finished first Straggler again closely followed= by Wayne Smith and Paul Graham. W= ayne, PG and Danny Norman received Surrey Championship team medals (silver).=

Full results are here:

http:= //www.ranelagh-harriers.com/results/090510.html

3 May 09 - Sutton 10k

Not a popular race - narrow start, 3 laps, usually very warm and soon after the London Marathon. Reasonable temperature for running this year but a burst w= ater main meant a slight detour. After a lay off caused by a sore hamstring, Gra= ham Brook was first Straggler followed by Paul Graham then (with others fading)= yours truly completed the scoring team. We were second behind Clapham Chasers in the team event.<= /span>

Full results are here:

http:= //www.suttonrunners.org/pdf/sutton10k2009Result.pdf

<= /p>

28 Ma= rch 09 - Mob match against Ranelagh Harriers

A very good event, brilliant organisation and well-attended by both sides. Ranelagh had the first man home but with nine Stragglers in the fir= st 13 we won by 2089 points to 2598 (first 48 to score). We also fielded more runners than them (58 to 51) - an impressive turnout for an inaugural race.= I hope we can make this an annual event, hopefully= the weather will be a bit more pleasant next year!

Full results are here:

http:= //www.ranelagh-harriers.com/results/090328.html

21 February 09 - National Cross Country Champs

Wasn&= #8217;t there myself, but run on a fine sunny day in fairly mild conditions. There = was still plenty of mud to deal with as usual at Parliament Hill. Mark Gray was first Straggler in 396th position overall followed by another eight mud-cov= ered Stragglers.

Final race of the men’s Club Champs saw Rob Tyman wrap up a richly deserved Hero's prize, with Graham Brook taking the overall prize and Roy Reeder the= V40 and Steve Sandham the V50.

Full results are here:

http:= //www.stragglers.org/results/xcountry/2009-02-21-NationalChamps-Club.htm

7 February 09 - Surrey Cross Country League

The f= inal league race of the season was run over our own flat but muddy course. Most = of the snow which had fallen earlier in the week had melted by the time of the race and the weather was perfect on the day. Good to see a big turnout of runners but disappointingly a few of our faster guys were missing. We finis= hed eighth on the day. Dorking had a great turnout and just pipped us for eight place overall - so it back to division 2 again next sea= son. A good turnout in the pub after the race too!

Full results are here:

http:= //www.stragglers.org/results/xcountry/2009-02-07-SurreyLeague-Men-Full.htm<= o:p>

=

24 January 09 - Southern Cross Country Champs

I was missing again, lack of fitness meant I didn't fancy 9 miles in the mud, Race report from Peter Kennedy:

'The South of England champs was the wettest race I’ve seen, I think; a ge= ntly undulating course at Hillingdon with plenty of flat sections where long stretches of waterlogged mud made for extremely heavy going; what’s m= ore, there were four sapping laps of it. PK was first Straggler home, and the team managed to finish a solid = 36th place, matching the ladies performance earlier in the day.'

=

Full results are here:

http:= //www.stragglers.org/results/xcountry/2009-01-24-SouthOfEngland-Club.htm

=

10 January 09 - Surrey Cross Country League

Your men's captain missed his first Surrey League Cross Country (other than thro= ugh injury) since November 2001! Race report from Peter Kennedy:

'The Surrey League fixture on Farthing Down was mainly memorable for the extreme= ly cold weather; about -4 in mid-afternoon, with freezing mist in the air, fro= st on every blade of grass, and a layer of snow covering about half the course= . A strong turno= ut though from all clubs, with plenty at stake. Stragglers had a solid turnout but suffered an injury to key runner Graham B, who nevertheless limped home as = 5th scorer; the result was a sound beating from relegation rivals Reigate, amongst others. Still, plenty of brave performances and plenty to feel proud of ourselves about.'<= /span>

=

Full results here:

http:= //www.ranelagh-harriers.com/results/090110mr.html

=

6 December 08 - Ellis Trophy

A very high standard at the front of the race b= oth Jimmy Goulis and Graham Brook recording times which would usually have won = it. The team packed well with newcomers James Flood and Mark Gray finishing in our scoring ten. Despite a good turnout of 21 runners, we missed out to Serpies in the team competitio= n, trailing them 165 points to 118.

Full results here:

http:= //www.ranelagh-harriers.com/results/081206m.html

Nigel Rothwell's photos are here:

http:= //www.flickr.com/photos/rothwell_nt/sets/72157610971765972/

=

15 November 08 - South of the Thames 5=

Only 8 Stragglers made = the trip to Croydon for this race. On arrival, Lloyd Park was scarcely recognis= able with very little of the customary mud. We finished 7th (of 16 teams) in the= 4 to score event, 5th (of 7) in the 8 to score.

Full results here:=

http://www.ranelagh-har= riers.com/results/081115r.html

=

8 November 08 - Surrey League Cross Countr= y

Unfortunately, we had several absentees for this fixture over the rain-lashed Hercules Wimbledon course on Wimbledon Common and couldn't maintain the excellent start to the season but good runs by Jimmy Goulis (28th) and Graham Brook (30th) ensured= we remain 120 points clear of Reigate in ei= ghth place. I hope for a better turnout in the next race in Coulsdon on 10th Jan= uary - please put the date in your diary if it's not in already.

Full results here:=

http://www.ranelagh-har= riers.com/results/081108mr.html

=

11 October 08 - Surrey League Cross Country

Our t= hird season in Division 1, could we stay up? Off to a fabulous start with great = team performance in Richmond Park (Pembroke Lodge) - only 11 points behind Hercu= les Wimbledon in fifth place, a point ahead of Belgrave and 210 points clear of= the relegation zone.

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7 September 08 - Harry Hawkes= 8

I mis= sed this one due to being in Poland for the Pila half marathon but I gather this was a good event although club turnout wasn't great. Final club road championship even= t of the year. Final standings in the league were: first overall: Chris Walmsley; V40: Roy Reeder; V50: Ian Callander; Hero (most races): Noel Hollingsworth. Congratulations to them.

=

14 August 08 - Club 10k<= /o:p>

10th running of our own club 10k championship a= nd definitely the worst conditions under foot with the plenty of puddles on the towpath following a mid afternoon downpour. Wayne Smith and Anthony Jack= son went off very quickly from the start with Wayne just getting the better of Anthony in the latter stages for his second win = in this event. In the ladies event, great to see Phyllis Flynn also take her second win (eight years after her first!). 94 finishers= - the third highest ever total.

=

Thank= s to the organisers (Simon Brazil and Pat Short) and their team of helpers who o= nce again put on a very well organised race.

=

10 August 08 - Belgrave Bolt = 5k

Interesting new name, s= ame boring old course in Wimbledon! Good conditions for running. I heard there were some fallers at the start and al= so one of the runners was run over by a car. No other surprises with Jimmy Gou= lis again first Straggler followed by improving Anthony Jackson with myself completing the SRL team (second behind Belgrave). With Anthony not being Su= rrey qualified Danny Norman was our third Surrey scorer (bronze medalists in the= Surrey 5k team champs).=

=

Team confirmed as winners of the Surrey Road League (for the third consecutive year).

=

20 July 08 - Elmbridge 10k

Late entrant Jimmy Goulis was first Straggler home followed by Danny Norman (returning to form) and myself - second Surrey Road league team behind a ve= ry strong Ranelagh team. This was sufficient to ensure we had an unassailable = lead going into the final race. I picked up the first Elmbridge resident trophy = (won by Sonia O'Sullivan in 2007 - my name on the same trophy as an Olympic medalist!).

=

Chris Walmsley, Paul Graham and Jim Desmond completed the six to score race team - first - just ahead of SLH and Ranelagh.

=

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29 June 08 - Dysart Dash=

Not everyone’s ideal 10K, with a narrow start and bumpy narrow towpath. Having done it several times in the past, wasn't disappointed to miss it (holidaying at Club la Santa in Lanzarote).

=

The men’s team welcomed back Jimmy Goulis again after a long absence due = to injury who was first Straggler home followed Chris Walmsley, then a good run from Jim Desmond only just ahead of Trevor Ford.

=

The <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Surrey team comprising Jimmy, Jim and Trevor won br= onze medals.

=

Other highlights were a big PB from Stragmag editor Bert Smith.=

=

1 June 08 - Dorking 10

The u= sual hot conditions for this though no sun made it feel much more comfortable, an enjoyable run around the delightful undulating country lanes around Brockham with another big Stragglers turnout. First Straggler Graham Brook (6th in 55.51), fol= lowed by Anthony Jackson (who sprinted away from me in the last quarter mile like= a track runner), me, Chris Walmsley, Paul Graham and Danny Norman (59.36 and = only 6th Strag!)

=

Noel Hollingsworth was our second V40, closely followed by Steve Sandham our fir= st V50.

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Unsur= prisingly, we featured strongly at the presentations - though don't quite see the = logic in Chris Walmsley (who younger than me and finished behind me in the race) receiving a medal when I didn't! Just goes to show the strength of the V40s= in the race unfortunately. First team again (3 out of 3 so= far).

=

The |Surrey team comprising me, PG and Danny won gold medals.=

=

11 May 08 - Ranelagh Half

Also the Surrey Half Mar= athon Championship. Only a week after Sutton but not good running conditions - very w= arm. By the time the runners reached the half way point at <= st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Hampton Court Palace where I was manning a water station they looked very red! A very fa= miliar course around Teddington, = Hampton Court and along the river, with plenty of fami= liar faces from Ranelagh and Stragglers cheering us along.

=

Graham Brook had a good run to finish second followed by Chris Walmsley, Paul Grah= am and Anthony Jackson - first team. Then Paul Belcher who along with Chris an= d PG received Surrey Championship team medals (silver).

=

4 May 08 - Sutton 10k

Off t= o a good start. It had been sugge= sted that we should give this event a miss as its not a popular race - narrow st= art, 3 laps, usually very warm and soon after the London Marathon. But I thought= it not popular with other clubs too, so a reasonable turnout could see us start the season with a win. I was correct - first Straggler home was Chris Walms= ley (running well after an enforced lay-off after LM) closely followed by Paul Graham then yours truly with newcomer Anthony Jackson (who like Chris was c= lose to 2.45 in LM) rounding off t= he scoring team. A narrow win over SLH.

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23 February 08 - Nationals

Only 3 Stragglers made the long trip to Alton Towers for the fina= l xc of the season.

=

In our own Club Champs, Graham Brook won the overall award (for the third consecutive year), the V40 award went to me and the V50 award to Alan Pemberton. This is Alan eighth award - a great achievement. Names of the all the winners since inception can be found here:

http://www.stragglers.o= rg/results/xcountry/honours%20board.htm

52 runners took part in= at least one of the club championship races compared to 42 in the 06/07 season= .

=

9 February 08 - Surrey League Cross Country

Going into the race, we were just 22 points ahead of Dulwich and 47 points ahead of Dorking so a big turnout was needed for the mudbath in Lloyd Park and you delivered! Thanks to Mark Caldecourt for traveling all t= he way from the Bournemouth for the race.

=

Our second first place on the day. This is the first time we ha= ve won division 2 and our points total of 1,189 was= considerably better than our previous best of 1,456. Individually, congratulations are d= ue to Graham Brook for winning the overall award and mysel= f for winning the V40 award. So a clean sweep of the awar= ds for us. Thanks to the following who (along wi= th myself) ran in all four SL races: Graham Brook, Paul Graham, Colin Gray, Pe= ter Kennedy, Ben Osborn, Nigel Rothwell.

=

26 January 08 - Southerns

Only = 13 Stragglers ran this one and with it being in a Parliament Hill after a lot = of rain hardly surprising.!

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12 January 08 - Surrey League Cross Country

Good course which included running bits of the Ranelagh course, but the other wa= y. Quite tough too, with hills and a wide variety of surfaces, as well as a terrifying hairpin bend just 200 yards into the race!

All to play for in the final race of the league= on 9 February.

<= /p>
5 January 08 - Surrey County

Only 9 Stragglers ran round the usual muddy course in Lloyd Park, good warm up for= the final Surrey league in February though. =

=

1 December 07 - Ellis Cup

Same very familiar course for many of us. However, some fast guys from Hercules Wimbledon weren't as familiar with the course and missed a turn. Unfortunately we failed to make it a hat-trick, finishing third behind Serp= ies and Hercules Wimbledon.

=

10 November 07 - Surrey League Cross Country <= /p>
A gre= at team performance (our first 10 scorers were all inside the top 50). This is= our best performance in division 2 since March 2003. First on the day and moved into first place overall, 92 points ahead of Dulwich and 121 points ahead of Dorking.

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13 October 07 - Surrey League Cross Country, Richmond Park (Kingston Gate)

Great= run from Graham Brook (first time we have had an individual victory in a Divisi= on 2 race). A good run from Wayne Smith too to finish third overall in his last = race for Stragglers before emigrates to the States. I= t was also the first time I have seen anyone eating an ice cream after a cross country race.

=

The t= eam finished second behind a very strong Dorking.

=